


Tale as Old as Time

by mochis



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Ballroom Dancing, Cardverse, Forbidden Love, M/M, Nobility, Romance, Royalty, Storytelling, Waltzing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2018-11-12 17:32:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11166669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mochis/pseuds/mochis
Summary: “Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms on opposite sides of the sun. The kingdom of the rising sun was named after the beating of its citizens’ Hearts, while the kingdom of the setting sun was named for its’ weaponry and specialty in Spades. Curious about this mysterious land bathed in sunlight, the King of Spades sets out to visit one evening in the event of a ball, open to all kingdoms in the land. There, he is immediately enchanted by the soft-spoken and timid Queen of Hearts, who finds himself just as taken with the King’s boisterous and charming personality.A dance is all that is needed for the two to fall in love. However, when a declaration of war from the Clubs threatens to spill blood across their lands, the two are forced apart from each other out of dedication to their people. Their love, forbidden and kept secret from their respective royal courts, only continued to grow as their time apart increased...”





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> i did say i would eventually write something having to do with cardverse (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و

The overcrowded city of New York was indeed a bustling network of businessmen, students and ordinary people— such as one, very normal and indeed habitual Kiku Honda and one Alfred F. Jones. 

Despite the immortal, never-being-able-to-die-or-live-a-normal-life situation, they would both agree that their lives were anything but extraordinary, which is exactly how they liked it. They had tea and coffee in the morning, attended meetings with extinguished leaders of the world, preferred a specific type of take-out on Tuesdays, and did their absolute very best to raise their adopted daughter in a firm but loving manner. 

Having been together for practically ages (this is obviously a gross exaggeration but Alfred  _ swore _ the minute he laid eyes on Kiku it was as if he had known him since the beginning of time), they felt it was only necessary and just that they live together. After living together for ten years in the city of New York, it was Alfred who first brought up the topic of raising a family during take out one Tuesday evening - completely taking Kiku off guard in the middle of his lo mein. 

He was, of course, hesitant (and could you blame him?), but after  _ much  _ discussion and sleepless nights spent reasoning— along with thinking up fluffy scenarios— they came to a mutual agreement. 

Therefore— after eight years of learning what it  _ truly _ meant to be a parent— it was very ordinary to see one Kiku Honda draped across his daughter’s bed rather dramatically, a hand over his heart while one held onto a plastic sword, obviously and very believably dead. 

“You’re not dead! Just under a sleeping spell!” 

Er, under a sleeping spell. 

“What would lift the spell?” Kiku cracked an eye open as his daughter shuffled around her room, sheathing her own smaller sword. Alfred was on a business trip that would last until tomorrow morning, thus leaving their daughter, Emily, along with her imagination, to Kiku. 

Not that he minded in the slightest. She had begun to take a liking to the fairytale books left behind by Ludwig and Arthur, which meant her imagination and playtimes usually consisted of at least one dragon and/or one dashing knight - which was usually herself or Alfred. Kiku was left to play the “damsel in distress” more often than not, much to the american’s amusement.

Emily climbed onto her bed, and her father immediately shut his eyes again to feign sleep. “Only a kiss from the princess will wake you up. Which  _ I _ am.”

“I thought you were the knight.” 

“I’m the  _ knight-princess, _ papa. It was a secret that I’m a princess,” She smoothed Kiku’s bangs back, planting a kiss to his forehead. “But now I have to save you, so you’re saved!”

Like the actor that he has learned to be after playing with his daughter for eight years, the asian blinked his eyes open, clutching his chest as he sat up to marvel at the “knight”. He stood from her bed, bowing dramatically. “What an honorable knight-princess! You have saved my life once more, and I am in your debt.” 

Emily held her head high, one hand on the hilt of her toy sword and the other on her hip. “It was no problem for me, prince! Since dad isn’t around to save you, I have to take on the responsibility!” 

Kiku smiled, looking up towards the girl. “Then, surely the knight-princess knows it is also her responsibility to get to bed on time.” 

“...Well, the knight-princess has made a new law which bans all bedtimes—”

“The royal court will have to overturn this new law as its participants are all  _ very _ sleepy,” He chuckled as Emily yawned,  “just as their knight-princess is. It has been a hard day of dragon slaying, after all.”

Swords were put away, teeth were brushed and PJs were put on (at least in Emily’s case; Kiku would need to stay up for a few more hours to complete his own dreadful paperwork). She had actually managed to stay up an hour past her original bedtime, which meant it would not take long for her to fall asleep. Though, knowing Emily —

“I’m really not sleepy. I can stay up and read some more fairytales.” 

Despite her (rather sleepy) attempt at puppydog eyes, Kiku saw straight through her. He brought her bedsheets up to her chin. “You can read them tomorrow when your father gets back from his trip. I’m sure he’s been wanting to know what happened to Snow White.” 

“I read ahead, she woke up when the prince kissed her,” Emily mumbled, scrubbing at one of her eyes. “I need a story to help me fall asleep, papa.” 

_ Of course.  _ “Which story would you like, then?” 

Kiku pulled up a chair from her table set to sit next to her bed as she pursed her lips in thought. He had plenty of folk stories from Japan that had been passed down for generations that he could tell her, even if they were a bit gloomy. He, personally, loved the seriousness of his culture’s stories; they served as lessons for the young and reminders for the old. 

(Alfred and Emily’s Disney-tinted viewpoint would be quick to disagree.)

Her request surprised him a bit, however. “Tell me how you and dad met. Dad won’t tell me no matter how many times I’ve asked him to.” 

The asian blinked, resting his cheek in the palm of his hand. Kiku was not surprised that Alfred refused to tell their daughter how they met. In reality, their first meeting was not the most “romantic” _ ,  _ per se, unless one counted being forced to open their land’s borders to some western stranger as “romantic”. Not to mention their rather painful past riddled with war and various atrocities that neither of them would like to relive. It certainly would not serve well as his daughter’s bedtime story. 

No, Emily Jones-Honda deserved a story fit for— well, a knight-princess. 

Kiku lifted his cheek from his palm, a smile growing across his lips as his mind began to spin an idea. He laced his fingers together, the golden band on his ring finger glinting against the lamp light on Emily’s side table. “Well, it was a long time ago, when the world was separated into four different kingdoms...”


	2. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now we're finna get into the actual story. —✩

“Feliciano,  _ please _ be careful—”

“You worry too much, your Highness,” the brunet chuckled, rolling his eyes. His tanned hand reached towards a bright, ripe tomato at the very top of a particular vine as he balanced on a stool. “I’m an  _ expert _ tomato picker.”

The queen of Hearts stood next to the jack, holding a small basket of tomatoes that he and Feliciano had picked throughout the morning. He couldn’t help but let out a relieved sigh as the italian finally grasped the fruit in his hand, plucking it from its vine to add to the basket. “And it’s only taken you twenty-two years to achieve such talent.”

The two were dressed down in their common clothing, as there was no need to wear royal robes when mucking around the tomato vineyard. The kingdom of the rising sun kept true to its name; the sun was particularly high and bright in the sky, and Kiku had begun to sweat the minute he stepped onto the vegetable fields while Feliciano had yet to even break a sweat after picking tomatoes for nearly two hours. 

Feliciano stepped down from the stool, grinning at the queen under his sunhat.  “Twenty-two years has brought me to the most perfect tomato!” He held up the plump, red fruit for Kiku to marvel, “I’ve never seen one so... _ proportionate _ . I almost feel bad using it for tonight’s ball.” 

Kiku chuckled, gently taking the tomato from the jack’s hand to set into the basket. “The chefs and guests tonight will surely be grateful for such a tomato. Let’s return, I’m sure Ludwig has begun looking for us.” 

They began to weave their way through the fields, carefully treading down the beaten paths between the vegetable patches and vineyards that lay just a ways from the Hearts kingdom’s palace. Their palace’s two towers pierced through the air, high and proud against the magnificent blue of the sky above it, and could be seen by nearly the entire land from a distance. Everyone knew the palace and the palace’s inhabitants were no strangers to the citizens of the land; in fact, it was almost a problem keeping the royalty  _ in _ the palace. 

(Feliciano was, perhaps, one of the more guilty parties. How could he stay put when his citizens were simply a fifteen minute walk from the palace?)

The fields melted eventually into a single walkway, winding down onto a hill which led them straight to the garden, which was practically overflowing with flowers and plants of nearly every type. Kiku took great pride in his gardening skills, preferring to handle its maintenance himself rather than turn it over to the servants. He did not distrust the servants, of course; however, he had a certain vision for its appearance and therefore liked to keep it as such. Feliciano and Ludwig had no complaints— its tidy and elegant appearance never failed to amaze the rest of the kingdom. 

They kept pleasant conversation as they walked through the rosebushes and passed by the fountain in the middle of the garden, smiling at the servants along their way to the kitchen. Everyone was on their feet in preparation for that night’s ball, hurriedly wiping the floors and dusting the portraits throughout the great halls of the palace. Excitement buzzed in the air, coupled with the anxiety of seeing the other kingdoms for the first time since their previous rulers had reigned. 

“Good morning!” Feliciano chirped as he pushed the door to the kitchen open, holding it open to let the queen through. The cooks looked up from their work to greet them with wide grins and excited chatter. 

“Your highnesses, you really shouldn’t bother yourselves with picking vegetables,” one of the servants remarked as she gratefully took the basket of tomatoes from Kiku’s arms. “Especially with this heat. His majesty looks ready to collapse!”

Kiku waved her concern away, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief from his pocket. “A bit of sun does me well. I still haven’t quite forgotten Feliciano’s teasing when we were younger - what was it you called me? A ghost, or perhaps a sheet?”

Feliciano laughed heartily, slinging an arm around the shorter man’s shoulders. “We were  _ children,  _ Kiku!”

“Aye, and a rather mischievous lot you were, too,” the servant winked, handing the basket to one of the chefs. “Bless his majesty Ludwig’s heart for putting up with you two for as long as he has. Speaking of which, he was looking for you.”

The pair exchanged a glance before excusing themselves from the bustling kitchen, stepping into the hallway to find their co-ruler. Undoubtedly, it had to do with tonight’s ball— if there was anyone more nervous about seeing the other kingdoms, it would be Ludwig. The blonde had been anxious every since they reached the unanimous decision to host an extravagant ball to welcome the new rulers of each kingdom, themselves included. It had only been a few months since their reign as King, Queen and Jack began, having graduated from their previous roles as princes and princess. 

Being the perfectionist that Ludwig was, everything simply  _ had  _ to be perfect before their palace was presented to the other kingdoms. Which would explain why the servants were dashing from room to room, sweeping and dusting furiously. 

They found the worrywart in one of the libraries, helping the servants there rearrange their selection of history books. Blue eyes landed on the two once he heard the door open, and he handed  a stack of books to the boy helping him. “It’s about time you two turn up. Were you in the fields again?”

Feliciano grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. “How did you guess?”

“Kiku looks as if he just went for a dip in the lake,” Ludwig managed a slight smile as Feliciano laughed. “Make sure to get cleaned up before the ball. We need to be in our top form.”

“We  _ know,  _ we know. Relax, Ludwig! There’s nothing to be worried about, our kingdom is more than perfect!” 

“I would have to agree with Feli,” Kiku chimed in, elbowing the giggling boy. “We have been preparing for tonight since we were given the crown. I am sure the other kingdoms will be more than impressed.” 

Ludwig sighed, crossing his arms over his chest with the slightest shake of his head. “Let’s hope so. We have very high expectations ahead of us. It would be wise to meet those expectations and remain civil with the others for as long as we rule.”

“Our parents did leave rather big shoes to fill, but I think we’ll be fine.” Feliciano offered a reassuring smile. “Let’s enjoy ourselves tonight! It isn’t often all of the kingdoms gather together like this. And for a masquerade, no less!”

“Do not remind me,” The taller of the three all but groaned, “I do not understand why you insist I wear a mask along with my attire. This is meant to be serious—”

“It’s a  _ ball,  _ Lutz, not a military meeting. You should be smiling for at least  _ part _ of it.”

“I shall be smiling once everyone is gone. Or once the chefs bring out the food.”

The dark-haired boy covered his mouth as he stifled a laugh, all-too accustomed to their teasing. If Kiku were honest, he was quite nervous about the evening as well. Not only has he never met anyone outside of their borders, but he was not one for social environments. Given the choice between a ball and his garden, he would much prefer to tend to his garden in solace. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom at that time of year, which called for a much needed sweeping. 

However, he kept on a positive face for his comrades. The last thing he needed was for Feliciano to poke fun at his anxiety, as well.

Kiku excused himself to retreat to the baths, eager to freshen himself and do away with the faint smell of tomatoes he had obtained from the vineyard. A hot, calming bath would certainly ease his nerves until that evening.

* * *

 

In every kingdom, there were three specific roles which needed to be filled: there was that of the King, whom would direct the kingdom’s military; the Queen, who directed the kingdom’s navy; and finally, there was the role of the Jack, whose main priority rested in their people. In order to take on these roles of royalty, one must be born of royal blood from previous families— which Kiku, Feliciano and Ludwig happened to be. Together, they must rule in an equal triarchy.

The King, Queen and Jack are raised together from birth, thus creating a firm and solid bond between the three. Which, of course, Kiku, Feliciano and Ludwig happened to share. They are free to marry outside of the palace; in fact, it is quite encouraged, as there  _ must  _ be an heir to the future throne. Though, the three of them do not dwell on that matter very often. Having just inherited the throne from their parents, they have more than enough time to establish themselves as rightful and just rulers of the Hearts kingdom. A fact they are more than eager to prove to the other kingdoms and to themselves.

Over the years, their kingdom has become more and more distant from that of the Cloves, Spades and Diamonds. Ever since the first Great War— which nearly brought an end to the Clubs kingdom— the Hearts have remained wary of others and therefore chooses to remain a mystery towards them, hidden behind the rising sun. They were safe behind the sun. Protected. Secure. They had more than enough land for themselves, and their people were happy with their rulers and kingdom. 

Thus, it came as a great surprise when the three newly-crowned rulers announced a masquerade ball in honor of their ascent to the throne. Feliciano was firm in his resolve to bring their kingdom out of isolation, despite Ludwig and Kiku’s attempts to bring him to reconsider. 

“There is so much more beyond the rising sun,” He said one evening, hands splayed across a map spread across the library’s table. His fingertips traced the curves and edges of other lands across the ocean. “An entire  _ world _ . What kind of rulers would we be to deprive our people of it?”

Any attempts to change his mind were stopped after that. 

Kiku listened as Feliciano chatted away about the upcoming evening as they dressed themselves, divided by a wall screen. Ludwig had already gotten dressed earlier in order to help with any last minute preparations around the palace, leaving the Jack and Queen to ready themselves on their own. 

“Do you think I will catch someone’s eye? Oh, I hope I  _ meet _ someone!” Feliciano draped his casual clothes over the screen, excitement clear in his voice. 

Kiku smiled to himself as he finished tying up the  _ obi _ of his formal  _ yukata.  _ “We do not have to think about our future heirs for a few years, Feli.”

“I know, but the idea of meeting someone at a masquerade ball is so... _ romantic _ , don’t you think? And with our masks, it would be a complete mystery!”

“Sounds like something out of a romance novel from the library.” He tightened the  _ obi _ , and once he was certain it was secure, stepped out from behind the screen. 

The finishing touches to his attire for that evening were his  _ haori  _ and his mask, bought from a recent trip to town with Feliciano and Ludwig. It resembled a fox, covering the upper portion of his face with white, black and red. The ears were flat and pointed upwards, two red ribbons with bells tied at the end of each placed on both side of the mask. It hid his identity rather well, he mused as he slipped it on over his eyes. His chocolate irises stood out against the mask’s colors. 

Feliciano adjusted his cufflinks, standing up straight and tall in his pearly, satin shirt and maroon coat. He appeared something out of a dream as he stood in the middle of Kiku’s bedroom— highly sophisticated, yet his boyish charm still remained beneath the priceless robes. His boots were polished and spotless, his hair brushing just past his ears in a warm, auburn color. Minus the flyaway curl that refused to stay down, one would never guess that this same man hardly did any chores around the palace and preferred to spend the day napping or cooking. Kiku had to laugh. 

“What? Do I not look fit to be a Jack?” He hurriedly moved in front of Kiku’s vanity, checking over himself in the mirror. 

“It is not that,” the smaller boy said once his laughter subsided, “you just look so different from what I know you to be. Had I not known you, I would have never guessed that you take naps sans clothing.”

Feliciano pursed his lips, punching the other’s shoulder playfully. “Oh, _ha ha,_ Kiku. I can look like royalty when I need to! Not everyone can be as _effortlessly_ _graceful_ as you.”

“I am  _ hardly _ graceful, Feliciano. You have seen me attempt to pick tomatoes.”

“Is that what you were doing? I thought you were trying to catch them with your face.”

Their laughter trailed behind them as they left Kiku’s quarters, masks on and hearts nearly bursting out of their chests. Through one of the many windows of the palace, they could see carriages beginning to arrive, aligning themselves before the gates awaiting entry. Making their way down winding staircases and through tall hallways, they stood before the room where a majority of the ball was to take place: the grand ballroom. 

Tonight would be their debut as true royalty. As rightful leaders of the Hearts kingdom. As Feliciano Vargas, Ludwig Beilschmidt, and Kiku Honda. 

With that heavy burden upon their shoulders, Feliciano pushed the doors to the ballroom open. 


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 9 pages. over 4,000 words. and a shit ton of waltz music used as inspiration.  
> i had so much fun writing this chapter.

“This is stupid.” The scruffy haired blonde adjusted his collar for the fortieth time that evening, a frown on his face.

The boy across from him paid him little mind, ocean blue eyes glued to the window of the coach. He was well aware at this point of how to deal with an irritated Arthur Kirkland— which was to give his snappy attitude as little attention as possible. “How do you figure?”

Arthur huffed, reaching into the inner pocket of his navy coat to pull out his pocket watch. Nearly ten minutes late. He snapped it shut and stuffed it back into its place, crossing his arms over his chest indignantly. “This evening is pointless. We have no business with the Hearts kingdom, nor with any other kingdom. And a _masquerade?_ Who do they think they are to demand we parade around in masks for an entire evening? This is childish and a waste of time.”

“The only childish thing here is sitting right across from me,” The sandy haired king murmured, eliciting a chuckle from the shorter boy next to him. He covered his smile with the sleeve of his cobalt _pien fu_ while Alfred grinned towards the queen.

“Alfred is right. You are being dramatic.” He said once his amusement subsided. “That is no way for a queen to behave.”

“You do not want to be here anymore than I do, Yao. Were it not for Alfred accepting the invitation, we could have stayed put in our palace—”

 _“_ We haven’t been to an actual ball since we were children! _You_ are just afraid of running into Francis again.” Alfred interjected, tearing his eyes away from the scenery outside to give a pointed look towards Arthur, who immediately clammed up at the mention of the king of Diamonds. “Are you worried he won’t remember you? I doubt anyone could forget those eyebrows.”

Yao smiled behind his sleeve again. Arthur looked ready to throw Alfred out of the coach— which, upon a mutual realization, had stopped. They had arrived.

The king turned his attention back to the window, as did the queen and jack. There were several more carriages before them, circling the fountain in the middle of the front courtyard. A grand staircase led to the doors of the magnificent, where several other guests had begun ascending towards. Two towers sat on both sides of the palace, illuminated by the high moon and stars hanging in the sky. It was just as Alfred remembered it.

“It has not changed,” Yao muttered. “I am not surprised.”

Alfred’s eyes followed the beautifully dressed guests as they exited their coaches, dresses and long coats trailing behind them as the open doors welcomed them into the home of the Hearts. “I think it looks wonderful.”

Their grumpy queen didn’t offer any praise or criticism. Only a quirk of his eyebrow as his heart hammered away behind his chest.

The trio eventually reached the doors, and their footman hopped down from the back of the coach to open their door. Alfred was the first to step down, immediately breathing in the sweet, soft scent of roses and cherries. He turned towards the coach with a hand extended to help his queen down, but his eyes kept darting from the palace doors to the architecture of the building to the several flowers surrounding them outside.

His excitement and fascination were near embarrassing to the queen. Arthur took careful steps out of the coach, polished boots crunching against the ground beneath them. “Stop gaping. People will think we’re commoners.”

Yao accepted Alfred’s hand after Arthur, but said nothing towards his eagerness. Instead, he asked the blonde, “Have you the invitation? And do not forget your mask. I believe it is required to be let in.”

“Oh, that’s right.” The taller of the three fished the envelope from one of his coat pockets, along with his mask. It was a rather dramatic thing— modeled after a lion’s mane. Instead of actual fur, however, it was adorned with gold tendrils curving outwards slightly, with slivers of silver and white outlining the eyes and snout.

He handed the invitation to the jack, waving as his coachmen began to take off. Yao’s mask was modeled after that of a snowy owl, porcelain feathers lining the top and bottom of the mask with edges dipped in shimmery gold. A small, black beak sat just between the wide eyes.

And finally, Arthur’s mask— seeing as the boy was convinced this entire ordeal was for children, he went with a simple yet elegant design: a curved thing the color of eggshells, concealing the left half of his face from others. It defined his high cheekbones, as it also resembled that of a skull. Alfred thought it was rather plain compared to his and Yao’s selections.

Nonetheless, the Spades began their way towards the open doors, the light from inside the building becoming brighter and brighter with each step. Their invitation was accepted, as well as their choice in masks, and they found themselves escorted down a grand hall adorned with a deep maroon rug and several vases of flowers. The walls were high, and chandeliers hung from the ceiling which brought attention to the shimmering crystals twinkling against the light.

As they turned a corner, another set of doors stood before them, leading directly to the ballroom. Alfred couldn’t help but smile, anxiously smoothing out the wrinkles in his vest as Arthur attempted to control his unkempt mess of hair once more. Yao rolled his eyes, moving to stand in between the two to grab both of their hands, giving a quick squeeze.

“You both look fine,” He said, before thinking better of it. _“We_ look fine. If you manage to embarrass yourselves, _I_ will keep the Spades name graceful.”

The queen smiled, grateful for Yao making light of the situation. “Do not worry, I intend to be the most graceful guest here. It is Alfred that I’m concerned about.”

“I am perfectly capable of being graceful on my own, mind both of you,” Alfred protested, turning to face the doors ahead of them once more with jittery hands. Despite his nerves, he kept a grin on his face. “We shall see who is the most charming by the end of the night.”

The heavy doors were pulled open, and the name of their kingdom, along with their names, were announced before the crowd below them. Pairs of eyes were suddenly on them, and Alfred could practically reach out and feel the energy buzzing in the room. It was near electrifying.

Music fit for waltzing filled the air, beckoning couples onto the wide dance floor next to the live instrumental section. Everyone was masked and dressed quite magnificently — gorgeous, flowing gowns brushed the marble floors, crisp suits clean and pearly— but despite this, the Spades could tell the kingdoms apart easily due to their color coordinated dress. There was a lack of yellow, however, among the greens, blues and maroons.

Arthur breathed a sigh of relief as they descended one of the staircases leading to the main floor. The guest in question had yet to arrive. How very like him, the blonde thought bitterly with a scoff.

At the far end of the ballroom sat three distinguished thrones atop a set of low stairs. Two banners hung on either sides of the thrones, displaying two hearts on top of each other— the royal symbol of the Hearts. There, Alfred could see the royalty overlooking the crowd, surrounded by  more flowers and chatting amongst themselves as they glanced towards the guests.

One of them, seated on the rightmost seat, hid the lower half of his face behind a mauve dyed paper fan. His mask, however, was pulled to the side, resting on on his raven hair rather over his eyes as he exchanged words with the blonde next to him. The brunet on the left side was leaned over to hear in on their conversation, covering his mouth to laugh at something that the boy in the middle said.

When the boy behind the paper fan met eyes with Alfred, the rest of the ballroom seemed to disappear. He felt a shiver run down his spine, and it was as if the air suddenly left his lungs. It was— bizarre, to say the least, as he hadn’t realized that he stopped walking and was now standing awkwardly in front of the instrumentals.

Yao called his name before tugging him out of his trance, pulling him closer towards the boy in maroon. “What was that? Are you alright?”

The blonde blinked, glancing between Yao and his wrist. “Um, yes, I’m fine— who _is_ that?”

The shorter boy followed his gaze, furrowing his eyebrows together. “I assume that’s the Queen of Hearts. Is he what surprised you?”

The Queen of Hearts. That was the _Queen_ of Hearts. The Queen of _Hearts._

He definitely lived up to his name. It would seem he had just stolen Alfred’s heart in a matter seconds.

“Well, stow your surprise to the side and pull yourself together,” His jack went on, not waiting for an answer. “We must show our respects.”

Quickly remembering his title as King of Spades, Alfred nodded, taking his place in between Arthur and Yao as they approached the trio seated before them. Standing a reasonable feet away from the thrones, the three dressed in blue kneeled onto the deep red carpet beneath them.

“Your majesties,” Alfred’s voice was loud and clear throughout the ballroom, surprising the three seated in front of them. “We, the Spades kingdom, are deeply honored to be in your presence this evening.”

The stoic boy— their king, Alfred assumed— gestured for them to stand. “The honor is ours, your majesty. We look forward to your cooperation with us in the years to come,” He turned his head towards the grinning brunet to his left, “This is the Jack of Hearts, Feliciano Vargas. To your right,” when he turned towards the boy in maroon, he lowered his paper fan a bit, bowing his head towards the three, “is the Queen of Hearts, Kiku Honda. And I am the King of Hearts, Ludwig Beilschmidt.”

Alfred repeated the name in his head like a mantra. _Kiku Honda._ It was elegant, flowed off of one’s tongue as easily as water, yet held a mysterious air to it. “I am Alfred Jones, the King of Spades.”

Arthur stepped forward, offering his own introduction with a smile. “Arthur Kirkland, Queen of Spades. Congratulations on your ascent to the crown.”

Yao bowed once more once Arthur stepped back, deep brown hair falling around his shoulders. “I am the Jack of Spades, Yao Wang. We are happy to have accepted your invitation. Your palace is magnificent.”

Feliciano’s grin rivaled that of the sun’s. “Thank you! Our queen grew all of the flowers himself, he’s quite talented—”

“Yes, and we hope you enjoy your evening.” Ludwig glanced at the chatty brunet besides him. Alfred bit back a laugh, bowing his head once more so that his smile was hidden.

Kiku caught this, of course. He brought his fan up to conceal the flush on his cheeks when he realized that Alfred had a charming smile.

 

* * *

 

The party was in full swing after the Spades arrived, and though they were still waiting on the ever delightful Diamonds kingdom to grace them with their presence, the Hearts figured that their guests had waited long enough for the _true_ masquerade ball to begin. Thus, the music was played louder, mouth-watering food of all sorts were set out on silver platters, and people did not think twice before setting out to the glossy floors to waltz. It was beginning to look and feel like a true ball— and Feliciano was absolutely vibrating with excitement as he practically leapt off of his throne to join the crowd.

Kiku and Ludwig also set out into the crowd, though they eventually drifted towards the food. Neither of them were looking to dance that evening, despite how tempting their guests made it look.

Apparently, the jack of the Clubs kingdom had the same mindset. Ludwig brushed hands with the boy as they both reached for the same blueberry tart. The blonde looked up immediately, “Roderich— my apologies, please, take it.”

He did, and quite graciously so. It was the last one. “Thank you,” He offered a subtle bow of his head before his eyes drifted towards the crowd. “It would seem your ball turned out quite successful. I have not seen Eliza so excited for something since we were children.”

Kiku followed the brunet’s gaze until his eyes landed on one of the girls dressed in green. Her gown was surprisingly simple, spiraling out like a flower as her dance partner and King, Ivan, twirled her about. She was seemingly glowing with laughter. “She looks stunning. Are you not going to dance with her?”

Roderich was quick to shake his head at Kiku’s question, pale cheeks dusted rose. “No, no, I am not one for dancing. I imagine the two of you are in the same position.”

Ludwig and Kiku shared a glance, sighing slightly.

“No, but Feli is quite happy,” The shorter of the three replied, smiling at his jack as he chatted with several of their guests on the other side of the dance floor. “I am sure he will dance enough for the both of us.”

Just as he uttered the words, Feliciano had a girl on his arm and was walking out towards the other couples, quickly falling into step of the waltz. Just as expected from their charming jack. He had a way with people that neither Kiku nor Ludwig could ever hope of obtaining or understanding.

Speaking of understanding people, there was blue in the corner of the queen’s eye, suddenly, and he could feel a pair of eyes on him. He glanced over his shoulder out of curiosity, and to his surprise, met eyes with the King dyed in blue once more. He was standing with his court, a glass of champagne in his hand, and quickly averted his eyes once he had been caught staring. The anxious feeling in his chest returned, and he was glad his face was hidden behind his mask this time as his cheeks had begun to flush once more. There was _something_ about him that made Kiku terribly nervous. A nervous that made him very self-conscious and hyper aware of his actions, a nervous that he’d only read about in various novels before, a nervous that made him want to run to his room and hide beneath the covers.

It was exhilarating.

Thankfully, his anxiety was forgotten for a brief moment as Elizaveta and Ivan soon joined their trio, exchanging pleasantries. Kiku focused on the chestnut curls that cascaded around Elizaveta’s shoulders to distract himself from the boy across the room.

“Oh, Roderich, you really should dance with us! Ivan is a good partner, but I do not want to tire him out before the evening is over,” she playfully elbowed the King of Clubs in the chest, a giggle on her lips. “Just one dance, please?”

Despite his cold exterior, the jack was surprisingly easy to persuade. “Very well...just once. For Ivan’s sake.”

“Thank you,” Ivan chuckled, and the two set off onto the floor just as another song began. Kiku was intrigued by his choice in mask— it seemed to have a face on both sides of it, one smiling while the other frowned. An eerie total of three faces in one mask. “Roderich has always had a soft spot for Eliza. I will not be surprised if she dances with him for the remainder of the evening.”

Ludwig offered a smile. “In that case, we shall keep you company.”

“I think not.” The silver-haired king’s eyes were following something behind Kiku. “It would seem someone would like to borrow your queen, Ludwig.”

The queen felt as if his heart was trying to leap out of his chest. He knew very well who was walking towards them, and tried to keep his collected composure once he turned around to face his pursuer.

God above, his confidence was near intimidating as he walked towards the queen.

“Your highness,” the blonde— hadn’t he said his name was Alfred? Kiku’s mind was too jumbled to remember but it sounded about right— started, wearing a grin.

“I— your majesty,” Kiku said, inwardly wincing at his lack of composure. “King Alfred, wasn’t it?”

“Yes! Though there is no need for titles, simply Alfred is fine. Is it alright if I call you Kiku?”

Hearing his name from that voice sent his heart into overdrive. He really wished he had his fan with him to conceal the rest of his face. “Yes, of course. It is quite an honor to make your acquaintance, Alfred.”

Was it him, or did Alfred seem to stand a bit taller after he said that? “The pleasure is truly all mine. I have heard much about your kingdom— it has been quite some time since I had last visited this palace. It remains as beautiful as it did when I was a child.”

“You have been here before?” Chocolate dipped eyes blinked in surprise behind his mask. “I was unaware...I would have remembered, had I met you then.”

“I _am_ quite difficult to forget.” The king agreed, and Kiku could not help but smile for a moment before hiding behind one of the sleeves to his _yukata._ “However, enough about me. I am curious about you— a-and your kingdom! Yes, such as the architecture of the towers, or-or the gardens. Do you have gardens? I assumed so since Feliciano mentioned you grow flowers.”

“Ah, that is...I do tend to the garden in my spare time. I would not say that I have grown every flower here this evening, however. Feliciano might have been exaggerating a bit.”

“I see,” He glanced towards the decoration around them, and for a brief moment, Kiku noticed that both Ivan and Ludwig had disappeared. “Still, I am quite impressed. _We_ — the Spades kingdom— are impressed, that is.”

“Thank you. I have limited knowledge of the Spades, however I know your navy to be the best out of all of our kingdoms. Arthur must work very hard to make it so.”

Alfred’s face fell a bit at the mention of his queen, and he turned to look towards the rest of his court, who were both chatting amongst themselves across the room. They stood out against the other guests. “I’m afraid that is all he ever talks about. I don’t remember him being so uptight when we were children— then again, things were much simpler when we were younger. All we needed to worry about was our education and social lessons.”

Kiku was surprised to find himself empathizing and speaking rather easily with Alfred, despite his nerves. He nodded along to his statement, “Though, if I am honest,” he said with a slight smile, and wondered why he felt like being honest with Alfred, “I much preferred educational lessons over etiquettcy or ballroom lessons.”

“Ballroom? As in ballroom dancing?” His attention was brought back to the boy in front of him, and the queen found himself regretting mentioning his lack of ballroom knowledge. “Your highness, do you _not_ know how to waltz?”

Where was Feliciano to pester him when he needed it? “Well— that is, I _do_ know the basics, how-however I am not a...skilled partner.”

“Still,” Alfred set his glass of champagne down onto the table next to them, adjusting his white gloves afterwards. “You’re a partner, nonetheless.” Taking a step backwards, he bowed before the queen of Hearts, “I would be honored to share a dance with you, Kiku.”

The invitation was extremely tempting. Nearly-impossible-to-resist tempting. Kiku Honda would be insane to reject an offer to waltz from the charming king of Spades. And he was well aware of this fact.

He was also well aware of the other people in the room, who were undoubtedly looking at the two— especially now that Alfred was bowed before him. The attention was nearly too much for him to bear, and he could practically feel Feliciano pushing him towards the king to accept his offer. It was something, as Kiku himself had said before, straight from one of the romance novels in the library.

Which is why he swallowed thickly, shook his head of any anxiety, and agreed to his dance proposal. It would be rude _not_ to accept, after all. Or so he told himself as Alfred took gentle hold of his hand, the fabric of the glove soft against his skin. Guests saw them walking towards the center of the ballroom and quickly moved to the side, voices suddenly hushed as the king and queen from opposite sides of the sun stood in the center of the waltzing couples.

Though, after seeing the two on the floor, the couples soon dissipated into the crowd surrounding the pair. Kiku felt his cheeks flame up, but said nothing as Alfred turned to face him, bringing his other hand to rest against the boy’s waist. He wasn’t completely flush against him, but it was close enough to make Kiku’s anxiety return. His own hand sat atop the king’s shoulder, head bowed down slightly so as to avoid his eyes.

“Is there something wrong?”

“I was not aware that we would be the only two dancing.” Kiku murmured, glancing up towards the blonde. His eyes were shining. “They are all looking at us.”

It was as if Alfred was just noticing the lack of people alongside them on the ballroom floor. “So let them look,” He tipped the queen’s chin to look up at him, though his voice lowered into a mumble. “I wouldn’t be able to stop staring at you if I were them.”

 _That_ was unexpected. Similar to the events leading up to that moment. It was unexpected for Kiku to meet Alfred in the way that he did— caught in delightful shock when their eyes met across the room behind his paper fan. It was unexpected for Kiku to even agree to waltz, seeing as he hasn’t been in a ballroom since he was but an early teenager. It was _all_ so unexpected and _unfamiliar_ , which is exactly what he should have expected when the Hearts decided to open their borders and welcome the other kingdoms in.

But Kiku Honda could have _never_ expected meeting Alfred Jones.

The pair was oblivious to it, but a certain brunet made a mad dash for the instrumental section, whispering a request to the maestro as they remained in their world of unexpectedness.

They were startled out of their bubble when the music began, softly yet commanding a waltz. And waltz they did, once Alfred took proper charge. Kiku was hesitant (or rather, inexperienced) at first, but after the first few steps, he quickly fell into the rhythm of the gentle waltz.

Their steps became bigger and bigger, until Alfred had the queen spinning and returning to his embrace. His confidence swelled as he spun him around the edges of the crowd surrounding them, the onlookers stepping back to allow them more space with surprise. Kiku’s heart sped up when he did this, but he said nothing to stop him. It was as if he _couldn’t_ say anything — this moment was too fragile and, dare he say it, _perfect_ to interrupt with weak protests.

They stayed in tune with the dips and rises of the music, and Kiku was certain that his court was stunned by the familiarity of their waltz, the ease in which they moved. It was indeed grace, something he hadn’t _expected_ to come from Alfred, but there was also something else bubbling beneath the surface of that grace— but Kiku was too afraid to discover what that was quite yet. He wanted to stay in this moment, this _unexpected_ and beautiful moment that was possibly the most fun he has had in past few years. More than anything, he wanted to stay in that warm embrace of the king of Spades.

Alfred suddenly grinned, keeping a firm hold on the boy's waist. "Do you trust me?"

Kiku cocked an eyebrow. He was twirled outwards, then brought back close to the blonde. "Excuse me?"

"Do you trust me?"

Perhaps it was the way he was looking at him— bright, blue eyes shining with a light he had never seen before, hidden behind a mask that was more than fitting of his confident nature— but the queen of Hearts found himself nodding at the king's question.

Without any trace of hesitation, he answered, "Yes."

His heart soared when Alfred laughed, full of happiness and merriment. There were a few more steps as they returned to the center of the ballroom, and before he had time to ask himself what he had agreed to, the blonde had shifted his hand from his waist to the small of his back, dipping the smaller boy towards the ground. Out of instinct, Kiku had raised his leg slightly— or as far as his yukata would allow him to — so as not to loose balance as he was dipped. Alfred’s hold was firm and protective, the snout of his mask close enough to bump into the snout of Kiku’s.

A guest starting clapping, setting off the entire room into applause as Alfred brought Kiku back up. They looked at each other for a moment before chuckling, removing their arms from each other to curtsey and bow respectfully— a proper thank you for an unexpected dance.

“I— thank you, Alfred.” Kiku was the first to speak once the applause had died and the couples resumed their positions on the floor. They had returned to the sidelines. “That was...that was wonderful.”

“I should be thanking you! That was the most fun I’ve had waltzing in— well, perhaps my entire life.” His smile was so _warm;_ Kiku wondered what the rest of his face looked like when he smiled like that. “You’ve made this evening perfect.”

Kiku wanted to say something just as charming in return, but decided against it as a thought came to mind. He glanced towards the crowd before taking one of Alfred’s hands, holding a finger to his lips.

“Weren’t you interested in the garden?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> keep in mind that kiku _is_ telling this to his fairytale-obsessed kid, so he's trying to match what he's heard from western stories. 
> 
> that, and he's kinda still crushin on alfred even after 160+ years. hence the shit ton of romance.


	4. chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we went to the science/history museum for my birthday recently and there was a cool exhibit about knights and i suddenly remembered i really needed to update this fic
> 
> it's a shorter chapter but i wanted to get it done before my bullshit classes and bullshit job start back up!!!

Alfred and Kiku’s absences went unnoticed— by most.

Arthur most certainly noticed his King being led by the hand through a door near the thrones, far from the eyes of the other guests. It wasn’t hard to see that they were obviously taken with each other. 

A part of him envied them. 

Another part of him (the louder part) berated himself for being envious of such immature affection. If one could even call it that - sharing a dance and stealing glances at one another across a ballroom was hardly love at first sight, but he knew Alfred would not be able to stay quiet about Kiku once the night was over. It was truly infatuation at first sight. 

Alfred had to know that they could never be able to join kingdoms. Not only was it very unusual, but it simply would not work between their kingdoms. The Spades were an industrialistic kingdom with no room for nature - which is what the Hearts kingdom ran rampant with. There were too many possible issues that could arise, no matter how taken they might be with each other. 

Arthur wasn’t aware of the scowl on his face until Yao touched a hand to his shoulder, shaking him out of his thoughts. The queen looked down towards his Jack, an apology on his lips. 

“I know you do not want to be here,” Yao said, glancing from Arthur to the grand staircase, “but it would seem our  _ friends _ , the Diamonds, have just arrived.” 

As if Arthur’s evening could have gotten any worse. 

The guests paused their conversations to look towards the grand, swirling staircase, where three figures stood above the crowd. Draped in the finest shades of golds and honey-dipped robes, the three stood rather confidently amongst the crowd of guests, considering two members of their court rather lacked said confidence in front of crowds such as the one that night. The queen and jack, however, could not match the overwhelming amount of charm practically radiating from the king of Diamonds.

Francis Bonnefoy, the absolute bastard, could not have looked more perfect to Arthur Kirkland than he did in that moment. 

Soon enough, they were each announced as they descended the staircase, and the party resumed. Arthur quickly turned back to face the confectionery table he had somehow found himself in front of, focusing all of his attention on the batch of blueberry tarts laid out before him. It had been years since he had last spoken to the Diamonds, and he was not about to break his record that evening. Instead, he chose to continue staring at the tarts, as if deciding which one to eat; this one had a bit too much powdered sugar, that one too glazed, however the one on the left seemed to have the perfect blueberry to sugar ratio - 

Said perfectly ratioed tart was suddenly plucked from the table, and the queen’s eyes snapped up from the desserts to the person who had so rudely taken his tart. 

“A bit early to be indulging in sweets, no?” 

Blue eyes, but they were much too dark to be Alfred’s. One was hidden behind a porcelain mask, almost identical to Arthur’s own. Golden, wavy hair was tied back loosely with a ribbon, sitting just at the nape of his neck. Arthur narrowed his own eyes once he realized who dared to take his tart. “It is actually quite  _ late,  _ Francis. It would seem you continue to lose track of time.” 

Francis held out the tart for the queen to take, which he did with a quick swipe of his gloved hand. Despite the jab at his court, he kept a good-natured smile full of allure.  _ “Mon chou,  _ your teasing has improved. It actually hurts a bit, now.”

“My words are not the only things that can hurt you -”

“Francis! How pleasant to see you!” Yao suddenly interjected, promptly stepping in front of the scruffy-haired blonde so as to avoid a fist fight. He knew Arthur to be right about being able to hurt Francis, and thus put on his best full-toothed smile in front of the Diamonds. “Lili and Basch, it is wonderful to see you both again, as well!”

The king of Diamonds returned the greeting, but kept his eyes on Arthur. He gave a small bow of respect towards the jack and queen, as if suddenly remembering their royalty. His court followed suit. “Forgive me for my lack of manners! I suppose I was simply too excited.”

The brunet waved the three off, shaking his head. “Please, it is not us you should be paying your respects to. The Hearts are the ones who graciously put on this ball.”

“We were quite surprised when we received word of this party,” Lili said, her hands politely folded over her ballgown. Her mask flowered around her olive eyes, rose and sunflower petals encircling the irises. She gave a small laugh, “Basch did not want to come for fear of an attack!”

Arthur rolled his eyes, scoffing under his breath. “As if those three could pull off something like that.” He folded his arms over his chest, nodding towards the crowd. “Their jack has not kept still this entire evening.”

Sure enough, Feliciano had kept himself busy by weaving his way through the crowd as he picked new dance partners - women and men alike - sharing waltzes with whomever he saw fit. Ludwig glanced at him from the sidelines as he greeted guests and made idle conversation with the other courts. Now that Kiku had somehow disappeared, someone needed to keep up their kingdom’s friendly and courteous image. 

“Seems like their king and queen are the only reliable ones.” Yao murmured, watching as Feliciano dipped a young woman as a waltz ended. 

“Speaking of kings and queens, where is Alfred? At least  _ he  _ would be happy to see me.” Francis said, turning towards the table of tarts to pick one of his own. 

Arthur took a small bite from his tart, and after swallowing, said, “Who knows? He must be lost in the crowd. Or stuffing his face somewhere.”

* * *

 

Kiku’s hand was cold against Alfred’s as they slipped through hallways and passed by grand portraits - he had to pull the blonde away from one of him and his court when they were children - but it wasn’t an uncomfortable chill. He was happy to be holding his hand again against the dimly lit hallways, being led by the Queen of Hearts. 

The queen pushed open another set of doors which led to the courtyard; however, their destination was  _ across _ from the courtyard. Kiku gently pulled his hand away from Alfred, gesturing for the blonde to follow. As they walked, Alfred noticed the amount of green increase - there were vines beginning to enrail the high columns, more bushes and trees overhead, until they were practically walking through a forest. Of course, through the bushes and trees, Alfred could see the rest of the palace’s structure, but as several pale pink petals began to flitter onto the ground, he forgot he was  _ in _ such a royal setting for a moment. 

They came across a set of tall, metal gates. Kiku undid the lock with practiced ease, but did not push the gates open. He turned towards the King of Spades, his soft blush barely visible against the dark. “I hope I am not - I hope I did not distract you from the rest of the party. I realize now that this was quite reckless of me...”

Alfred smiled. “I enjoy recklessness, your Highness.” 

The air was sweeter once they stepped past the gates, the smell of several flowers and plants filling the air all at once. There was not one distinct path, but rather an entire space that was free to roam around the several clusters of rose bushes or other exotic flowering bushes. Hydrangeas, andromedas, lilacs, weigelas - they littered the area around them beautifully.  A long pool of water ran through the very middle of the garden, and in the very middle of the pool stood a small fountain which connected to both sides of the pool. 

Looking closer into the pool of water, shades of orange and white swam idly. 

“Koi fish?” Alfred asked, looking up towards Kiku, who stood on the opposite side of the pool. 

The boy nodded, looking on with a small smile. “Feliciano likes to feed them. He’s named a few, but I’m not sure he remembers who is whom.” 

Towards the back of the space lay pink, flowering trees, petals open in full bloom. Alfred recognized them as cherry trees, and took careful steps through the white rose bushes to admire them closer. 

Petals fluttered to the ground, surrounding the two with pink. Beneath the moonlight, it was something out of a dream. Alfred found himself saying this without much thought, surprising the queen at his side. 

“I am hardly one fit to be in dreams.” Kiku said quietly, as if speaking any louder would disturb the flora around them. 

“Well,” Alfred gently took hold of Kiku’s hands once again, unsure if he was welcome to or not. Kiku did not pull away. “You are more than fit for my dreams.”

Kiku did not reply, searching through the oceans that Alfred called his eyes. They were swimming with sincerity. 

With careful fingers, the queen reached up towards sides of the king’s mask, pulling the guise off and over his head. Underneath the lion, he saw the subtle amount of freckles speckled across his cheeks and over his nose, his golden eyelashes circling his eyes. The moon sat just beneath him, crowning him with white light. 

He was the most beautiful thing Kiku had seen. 

(However, unlike Alfred, he did not voice it, though it was the first thing in his head.)

Kiku removed his own mask as well, setting the two disguises onto a bench besides them. A few twists and turns away, the band continued to play waltz after waltz, keeping the party in full swing as more and more people joined to dance. But for Alfred and Kiku, the world began and ended with the metal gates to the garden, enclosing them between the roses and cherry blossoms. 

Inside the ballroom, Francis tugged an indignant Arthur along onto the dancefloor just as Feliciano convinced a blushing Ludwig to spare one waltz. 

Outside, underneath the stars and the blossoms, Alfred gave a small bow as he asked for one more dance. Kiku curtsied in response, slipping his hand into the king’s as he let himself be led once again in dance, their steps careful and quiet. Kiku let his head rest against Alfred’s shoulder. 

“You aren’t as bad of a partner as you claim, you know.” The king said, and though Kiku was not looking up towards him, he could hear the smile in his voice. 

The queen breathed Alfred in, his sentence melting into a sigh. “It would seem I am better with you.” 

Alfred, with his heart in his throat and a grin on his lips, did not object. 

 


End file.
